6/27/2005

The UK will encourage Iran to return to its 'rightful place' in the international community, Jack Straw has said. The Foreign Secretary was speaking after Mahmoud Ahmedinejad won his country's election with 62 per cent of the vote.

)][{@}][(

"I hope that under Mr Ahmedinejad's Presidency, Iran will take early steps to address international concerns about its nuclear programme and policies towards terrorism, human rights and the Middle East peace process." Mr Straw added that there had been 'serious deficiencies' in the election process. "Candidates, senior figures in the regime and election officials have complained of widespread interference and electoral malpractice by the security forces and other regime organs in the first round. "This has further damaged an already flawed process. Many candidates - including all the women - were barred from standing by an unelected body. Many more potential candidates were deterred by the election procedures from even putting their names forward. "For the Iranian people to have a fully free choice about their country's future, they should be able to vote for candidates who hold the full range of political views, not just candidates selected for them."